Practice Safety With Space Heaters This Winter | SERVPRO® of Piscataway

Household fires can occur for a number of reasons in every single season, but during the winter, it is something we urge people to be extra aware of as they go about their lives. According to the Red Cross’ data, the majority of house fires occur during colder weather and around the holidays, which can happen for a multitude of reasons.

One thing we wanted to specifically highlight as the weather turns colder is the use of space heaters in the home. While space heaters are a good way to keep your heating bill low while still providing heat to targeted areas of your home, they can also present fire hazards if used incorrectly or not properly monitored. To keep you safe (and warm) this winter, we will examine some space heater safety tips below.

Tips for Safely Using a Space Heater During the Colder Weather

Heating is the second leading cause of all house fires, deaths and injuries in the United States, and the rates of these increase tremendously in December through February. Of these heating fires, space heaters are involved in about 40% of them—meaning safety is just as important as warmth. Here are some tips for using your space heater safely:

  • Keep the heater away from any flammable objects nearby, with a minimum of three feet of space.
  • Never use a space heater on carpet or rugs.
  • Ensure your space heater model is equipped with safety features such as a tip-over sensor and an overheating shutoff.
  • Always unplug space heaters completely when leaving the house or going to sleep.
  • Avoid using space heaters with frayed cords.
  • Be careful to not plug a space heater into an outlet powering many other electronics.
  • Plug the heater directly into an outlet instead of using an extension cord, when possible.
  • Never set anything on top of the space heater or place it near draping objects such as curtains or blankets.

If you have been impacted by a house fire, you can count on us to help out. We are experts in fire restoration as well as removing odors from smoke and soot, and you can call us 24⁄7 to receive a quick response.